Tomorrow (September 20 – 22nd) is the Fortnite Champion Series Final. Each region will be playing a live final as competitors battle it out to be named the best trio in their region and win a share of the $10,000,000 prize pool.
The competitors have won their spot through a gruelling qualifying stage and that means only the very best will be on show. Fortnite World Cup winner Sentinel’s Kyle “Bugha” GIersdorf, as well as FaZe’s Kyle “Mongraal” Jackson and the previous Fornite No.1 Turner “Tfue” Ellis Tenney will all be battling for glory.
This is the first live Trio tournament, with Fortnite previously played as Solos and Duos. As the previous weeks’ qualifiers haven’t been streamed live, there is extra intrigue in how these games will play out. On top of that, Epic’s many game-changing patches have shifted the meta in ways that could drastically change the way the game is played.
So, before you tune in on Friday, here are 5 things to look out for in the Fortnite Champion Series Final.
1) Epic can’t admit their mistakes
Patch 10.31 dropped this week and to give Epic credit, it was largely a bug-fixing exercise. Surprisingly, there was none of the flashy game-breaking, meta changing additions that Epic loves to drop on the eve of a major tournament – think the OP Infinity Blade before the finals of the Winter Royale.
While they are persisting with the universally hated B.R.U.T.E.S, they did change the way storms work to avoid finishing in the new special zones such as Titled Town, where you can’t build, or Paradise Palms, where you can’t crouch.
However, players are reporting that in fact, the storm can still end in these locations. Which begs the question – if Epic know these are fundamentally unfair areas to compete in, why don’t they simply remove them from the game and let us play the version we all know and love?
2) Swansong for Mitr0 and Team Atlantis
Dmitri “Mitr0” Van de Vrie has been Team Atlantis’ star player for as long as there has been a Fortnite competitive scene. However, in recent weeks Mitr0 felt he’d outgrown the organization. Things came to a head when a “leak” suggested that his contract was yet another example of a player being held to restrictive and unfair terms. Top pros across the esports world took to Twitter, with #FreeMitr0 trending.
Atlantis acted fast, potentially sensing a toxic situation similar to Tfue Turner’s acrimonious departure from FaZe clan. They have decided to release Mitr0 from his contract at the end of the tournament this weekend.
With Mitr0 making up a third of the best performing Trio in the game (see below) – will he leave Atlantis as Europe’s No.1 free agent?
3) Tfue has a point to prove
When Tfue won the Fall Skirmish Grand Finals alongside duo partner and FaZe teammate Dennis “Cloakzy” Lepore, he looked to have the world at his feet. He was considered the best player in the game, playing within most prestigious org, and his Twitch numbers rivalled Tyler “Ninja” Blevins.
But much has changed in that time – he only made the Fortnite World Cup as a solo player, where he was eclipsed by younger, hungrier players. He is in ongoing litigation with FaZe clan in an attempt to be released from his contract, plus he recently took a break from streaming, stating he felt “trapped.”
His relationship with Cloakzy had also soured in recent weeks, resulting in him having to find a new Trio after qualifiers had already begun. You would think with all that Tfue’s days at the top in Fortnite were over, but that would be an unfair suggestion for one of the games most consistent “big game” players.
His new trio containing Alex “Liquid Fiber” Bonetello and Diuqil Adanahk competed for only one week, the last, finishing 1st in NA East and securing their place in the finals.
You better believe that Tfue will be playing like a man possessed.
4) MMB have set the pace
Kyle “Mongraal” Jackson, Dmitri “Mitr0” Van de Vrie and Benjy “Benjyfishy” David Fish, more commonly known as MMB, have been in scintillating form going into the Finals. They finished in 1st place in 3 of the 5 weeks and were far and away the best performing Trio out of the 3 biggest regions – NA East, NA West and Europe.
Does this mean they will win the whole thing? They’re favourites, that’s for sure. Only World Cup winner, Bugha’s trio has performed as well. But as we saw in the World Cup, qualifying performances don’t always translate to the Finals.
However, with these Finals being played online and not at LAN, this looks like a good opportunity for MMB to realise their potential.
5) Are Trio’s the future of Fortnite?
For a game entering its 2nd year, much is still up in the air regarding the competitive scene. We currently have a point system that isn’t universally hated (no easy feat for a Battle Royale), but much is yet to be decided, with many changes holding the potential to derail the progress of the esport. How can a team build a roster and plan for the future if the number of players on the pitch is subject to change?
So far we’ve had solo tournaments (here to stay), Duo’s, and now Trio’s. Each has its pros and cons, with Trios allowing players to use their 3rd member in a support role, or allowing for the team to spread out across larger areas of the map and “gatekeep.” It also reduces the RNG inherent in the game, as a Trio that loses one of its players is still in with a shot at winning the match outright. That’s one of the reasons we’ve seen certain Trio’s performing so consistently throughout qualifiers.
How this weekend’s Finals are received from a purely entertainment point-of-view will do much to decide the future of Fortnite. Let’s hope Epic make a decision quickly, allowing the esport a chance to mature.
Fortnite Champions Series Final Schedule (All Times Eastern)
Watch the Finals live starting this Friday, September 20 at 1pm Eastern on Twitch, YouTube and fortnite.com/watch.
Friday, Sept 20
Heat 1 – Europe, NA East, NA West, Brazil, OCE, Asia
Heats 1 & 2 – Middle East
2pm – Show Starts
10:30pm – Show Ends
Saturday, Sept 21
Heats 2, 3 & 4 – Europe, NA East, NA West, Brazil, OCE, Asia
Grand Finals – Middle East
11am – Show Starts
6:30pm – Show Ends
Sunday, Sept 22
Grand Finals – Europe, NA East, NA West, Brazil, OCE, Asia
11am – Show Starts
10:30pm – Show Ends
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